Kannan alias Muthaiah was son of a noted businessman PLA Kannappan, who runs several establishments, including two wheeler and car showrooms, was playing in front of the house on Warner’s Road in the Cantonment area late on Wednesday. A four-member gang introducing themselves as his father’s friend picked him up.

While the parents were searching for the missing boy, Kannappan received a call informing that they had kidnapped his son and demanded a ransom of Rs 6 crore in cash. Since the amount is huge, Kannappan bargained and settled the ransom at Rs 2 crore.

In the meantime, Kannappan alerted the police and they took the CCTV footage from the front of the house and identified the car. All the check posts were subsequently alerted about the car.

Meanwhile, the gang who had travelled to Somarasampettai by Vayalur Road, found police checking the vehicles and tried to return to Tiruchy city. Police personnel Balasubramanian (Jeeyapuram) and Kalimuthu (Somarasampettai) gave a chase to the car in their two wheelers. When the car was nearing Vayalur check post, Sub Inspector Siva Subramanian attempted to stop the car, but they hit the Sub Inspector and gave a slip.

Since the car was fleeing through narrow roads, the policemen chased the car in two wheelers. As they found no other go, the gang left the car mid-way at second cross in Ramalinga Nagar and escaped in the cover of darkness at 11.30 pm.

Subsequently, police rescued the boy and handed him over to the parents.

The boy said there were three persons in the age group of 20 to 25. Further investigations are on.